Technically we’re already a month into hurricane season — but there’s still time to get ready the calm way. In this replay (refreshed for 2026), Wendi Bergin shares her 12-week Hurricane Preparedness Checklist: a strategy, not a shopping spree. Instead of stress-buying “all the things or none of the things” when a storm is two days out, you’ll tackle one or two tiny tasks a week across four categories — Food & Water, Gear & Gadgets, Organization & Personal Prep, and Home & Comfort. It starts with your Preparedness Profile: simple questions to tailor your prep to your family — allergies, medications, oxygen or refrigeration needs, pets, babies, and elderly parents — because generic prep doesn’t keep your people safe. Along the way Wendi covers water storage (and why FEMA’s one-gallon-per-person-per-day rule may not be enough), testing your generator and emergency radio, building a go-bag and 72-hour kit, alternate cooking with a butane stove, and keeping bored kids sane during a power outage. Plus two bonus topics: handling the bathroom when the plumbing stops, and managing your fridge and freezer to keep food safe longer. The heart of the episode is the why: your brain is wired to keep you comfortable and safe, which means it can freeze — or grab a toaster on the way out the door — in a real emergency. Preparing ahead of time is how you help your brain help you, so you can stay confident and even serve others when it matters most.
Hurricane season is underway, and this replay is your permission slip to prep without the panic. Wendi breaks hurricane readiness into a 12-week countdown to calm — a little at a time, on a real-life budget, tailored to your actual family. Whether you’re prepping for a hurricane, a winter ice storm, or just the power going out, these baby steps train your brain to be ready before you need to be.
What you’ll learn in this episode:
- Why a 12-week plan beats a frantic six-month scramble (and beats the Walmart parking lot every time)
- The four categories that organize all your prep: Food & Water, Gear & Gadgets, Organization & Personal Prep, and Home & Comfort
- How to build your Preparedness Profile so you prep for your family — allergies, medications, oxygen, refrigeration, pets, babies, and elderly parents
- Water first, always — how much to store and why Wendi doubles FEMA’s recommendation
- Getting your generator, flashlights, and emergency radio tested before the storm
- Building a go-bag / 72-hour kit, spare keys, and copies of important documents
- Keeping kids (and grown-ups) sane during an outage with boredom busters
- Bonus: bathroom backup when the plumbing stops, and fridge/freezer strategy to keep food safe longer
- The brain science of emergencies — why we freeze or grab the wrong thing, and how prep fixes it
Chapters / Timestamps:
- 00:00 — Welcome to Joyfully Prepared
- 00:35 — Hurricane season’s already here (and why there’s still time)
- 01:05 — Why 12 weeks? (Works for winter storms & power outages too)
- 01:40 — The Walmart parking lot problem
- 02:10 — The four categories of prep
- 02:30 — Your Preparedness Profile: prep for your family
- 03:35 — Food & Water: start with water (Week 1)
- 04:30 — The FEMA water rule — and why to double it
- 05:25 — Gear & Gadgets: flashlights, radio & generator
- 06:25 — Organization: spare keys, documents & your go-bag
- 07:05 — Home & Comfort: bug spray to boredom busters
- 07:40 — Bonus: bathroom backup & fridge/freezer tips
- 08:10 — Why your brain works against you in an emergency
- 09:30 — The toaster story
- 11:00 — Baby steps: 3 meals, inventory & a butane stove
- 12:40 — Confidence, capability & serving others
- 13:35 — Wrap-up
Mentioned / Linked Resources:
- 📋 The 12-Week Hurricane Preparedness Checklist — https://joyfulprep.kartra.com/page/hurricane
- 🎒 What to pack in your 72-hour kit / go-bag — https://joyfulprep.kartra.com/page/BOB
- Bug Out Bag for Pets: https://joyfulprep.kartra.com/page/pets
- 🔥 Butane stove (alternate cooking) — https://amzn.to/4vY9rlU
- Butane Fuel – https://amzn.to/3QT5XSV
- 📻 Emergency radio — https://amzn.to/4w8L2uc
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Remember: you’re not alone, and preparing can feel good — not scary.